Unfortunately, many teachers seem not to be aware of the role played
by emotions, especially the negative ones, in the teaching and learning
situation. As a result, many teachers attribute poor scholastic performance
indiscriminately to either laziness or stupidity ( Pringle, 1986: 77) and
other factors that are exclusive of emotional problems. Because of these
negative attitudes, children with emotional problems may find it difficult
to learn effectively. If teachers are, therefore, not trained to teach children
with emotional problems, children's learning and overall development may
continue to suffer. A secure emotional base is a pre-requisite for effective learning (Winkley,
1996: 1-2 ). A learner whose emotional life is taken care of, stands a
better chance of making academic progress over those who are
emotionally deprived or abused.Teachers, therefore, need to be
equipped with knowledge of the children's emotional life, especially the
strategies for teaching children with emotional and behavioural problems.
This knowledge is of vital importance if their attitudes towards
children with emotional and behavioural problems is to be changed to the
benefit of these children, because knowledge forms part of beliefs and
beliefs are the cornerstone of attitudes ( Hewstone, Stroebe, Codol, &
Stephen, 1988: 143 ). Successful learning may be enhanced by identifying the unproductive
attitudes held by teachers and by inculcating positive ones by equipping them with knowledge about the emotional states of children with emotional
and behavioural problems.
Against this background, the problem to be researched in this study can
be stated as follows :
What knowledge do teachers have with regard to emotional and behavioural
problems of learners?
What are the perceived causes of emotional and behavioural
problems in learners, and what are the attitudes of teachers with
regard to these learners?
What guidelines can be developed for teachers in order to enhance
their teaching of these learners?

en_US

dc.language.iso

en

en_US

dc.subject

Black teachers - South Africa - Attitudes

en_US

dc.subject

Emotional problems of children

en_US

dc.subject

Behavior disorders in children - Psychological aspects

en_US

dc.subject

Rural schools - South Africa

en_US

dc.title

Black rural primary school teachers' attitudes towards children with emotional and behavioural disorders